How cold the autumn night, Fearing that never more, As before, Will she pour In with the moonlight through my door. --On nights when the moon over-brimmed with light Was like a loving-cup she bore. ... My love, my love's delight, How are you lost? How fight Against an angels flight? Tarnished upon the floor The halo desire kept bright! Like a lonely child afright Questions each empty fold — When loves fairy tales are told, In midnights anguish might My golden head turn white Under the moons down-pour: In a moment a million moons more Drown, chill and cover me quite ... Rather than feel the cold, The gradual growing cold-- Make me one with the autumn night. HABIT Ah! habit, how unmusical and shy That outworn miracle: our ecstacy! Between our hands that clasp their empty palms, This daily prayer is this our psalm of psalms! What is this nothing that was more than all? Thinned as a golden ring that dare not fall, That unsuspected danger: faithfulness, Has linked us strangers, and a something less! Exchanging vows and other platitudes, As beggars chained in separate solitudes, Though jealousy keep live the rotten core, Lovers that were be lovers nevermore. THE NEAR ENEMY Rash games of chess do hateful lovers play, Their towers, queens and kings all thrown away In wild offensives, desperate retreats. To that sick inner-sounding drum that beats In terror of some tender thing just killed! New warriors on the battle-field, unskilled In prudent war-fare: friends of yesterday What they most cherished seem most keen to slay. More treacherous than Prussians in command, Entrenched and feigning not to understand, They plan how best to poison, maim and mar! Masked in bad silence, turned against their star. Through what black forces are so changed to foes Those fed on our high hearts, yes, even those! LIFE